{"id":5421,"date":"2018-07-26T14:52:03","date_gmt":"2018-07-26T14:52:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/49-The-Sword-of-Kahless"},"modified":"2018-07-26T14:52:03","modified_gmt":"2018-07-26T14:52:03","slug":"49-the-sword-of-kahless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relivethemajesty.com\/index.php\/2018\/07\/26\/49-the-sword-of-kahless\/","title":{"rendered":"4.9 — \u201cThe Sword of Kahless\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n

4.9 — \u201cThe Sword of Kahless\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plot:<\/strong> Kor, the ancient Klingon warrior, visits Jadzia Dax on DS9 and the two of them recruit Worf to join in Kor\u2019s new great quest: to recover the Sword of Kahless, a Klingon artifact missing for 1,400 years, and use it to unite the Empire against Chancellor Gowron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thoughts:<\/strong> This is the first episode of DS9 besides \u201cWay of the Warrior\u201d which was developed with Worf in mind, as Michael Dorn\u2019s participation was not confirmed during the production of the early episodes of the season. It is directed by LeVar Burton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an adventure, several scenes are flat. The actors always seem to be walking easily through a soundstage, instead of creeping through caves over dangerous terrain. Given the limitations, these scenes could have been better staged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a drama, it is better. How can you not love John Colicos as Kor, the original Klingon? I had somehow forgotten that both his comrades, Kang and Koloth, died in \u201cBlood Oath,\u201d but they saved the right one for future appearances. Michael Dorn, who has looked a bit like he doesn’t know what he’s doing there on DS9, himself seems to wake up as he\u2019s given a story worth playing. And once the Bat\u2019leth is recovered, and thoughts turn to escaping, the drama gets good, as Worf and Kor discover they have competing, incompatible dreams of personal glory stirring in their breasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course I love that Worf name-drops Kirk and the conflict on Organia, from TOS 1.26, \u201cErrand of Mercy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This story gives us a view of how the producers see Worf, and where they may want to take the character. For someone so obsessed with honor, who previously suffered discommendation rather than risk causing civil war, I did not feel truth in his effort to betray Kor to falling to his death by misrepresenting the suitability of the ledge below. It\u2019s well documented that Ira Steven Behr, DS9 show runner, chafed at the story constraints of TNG. Is this his effort to give us an edgier character? Edgy is fine by me in general, but honorable is still interesting. I hope this will be an isolated misstep. They appear to be building up Gowron as a villain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The usual online sources compare \u201cThe Sword of Kahless\u201d to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre<\/em> (1948) and Indiana Jones. I thought of The Lord of the Rings<\/em>. The Bat\u2019leth certainly seemed to be exuding a malevolent power, although the writers denied it was anything but a symbol. Ejecting it into space seems like a severe overreaction, however, unless it is meant to have literal evil powers. The disposition of the sword is similar to renouncing the Ring and melting it in Mount Doom. Worf and Kor both act like Gollum, by turns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I need to watch The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.<\/em> While I moderately enjoyed “The Sword of Kahless,” for now I am skeptical about the integration of Worf into DS9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.5 out of 5 force fields to be cracked by Dax.<\/p>\n\n\n

http:\/\/memory-alpha.wikia.com\/wiki\/The_Sword_of_Kahless<\/a>